Mortal Kombat X Issue 5
Mortal Kombat X Issue 5 is the first issue of the series second arc, Blood Gods, and the final issue to be released before Mortal Kombat X. Recap Chapter Thirteen: Cold Nights In Z'unkahrah, a still wounded Erron Black kneels before Kotal Kahn and his enforcers, the gunslinger telling the emperor he has only ever meant to serve him, and begs for mercy. Kotal Kahn considers crushing Black's skull as his mercy, reminding Black that his misguided actions provoked a war with Earthrealm that Outworld cannot afford. Kotal Kahn asks Erron Black how they are supposed to repair this offense against Earthrealm, and Sonya interrupts by demanding safe passage to Shang Tsung's Island. Sonya tells Kotal Kahn to pray that the girls are alive, and begins to break down at the prospect of them being dead. Johnny Cage tries to console her but Sonya rebuffs him. Kotal Kahn then orders Reptile and D'Vorah to take Erron Black back to his prison in the dungeon. The emperor then explains the loss of his own father and people at Reiko and Goro's hands simply to spite him, making him the last of his kind. Johnny gives Kotal his condolences and tells him he understands that he and Sonya will do whatever it takes to bring their family home. Kotal understands completely and promises Johnny and Sonya his swiftest ship and a battalion of his finest soldiers to take them to Shang Tsung's Island to get the girls, vowing that Reiko will pay for his crimes. Sonya asks what the catch is and Kotal Kahn tells her they must survive the coming dawn. The emperor explains that after he humiliated Goro in their battle by cutting off his arms and sparing his life, he returned him to Kuatan expecting his father, King Gorbak, to reject and execute Goro. But Kotal reveals that because he was blinded by vengeance, he overlooked a simple truth: That all fathers love their sons. Indeed, in Kuatan the subterranean kingdom of the Shokan, Goro kneels before his father Gorbak, who rises and bids his disabled son to rise, shedding a single tear as he does. Goro begs his father to kill him, claiming he is no longer a worthy heir, but Gorbak refuses and declares that the Shokan have suffered the indignity of imperial rule under an Osh-Tekk long enough. Deciding to act quickly, Gorbak sends an army of Shokan, led by their champion, Kintaro, to march on Z'unkahrah. In Earthrealm, in the outskirts of the city of Kahishari, Japan, Hanzo and Takeda make their way towards the city, with Takeda shocked to learn his master has lost to Sub-Zero in the past. Hanzo calls it a technical loss and Takeda asks what his plan for a rematch is. Hanzo tells his apprentice he is before noting how quiet it is. Takeda notices a nip in the air and Hanzo declares that Sub-Zero is close and orders Takeda to take out his sword. When Hanzo sees Lin Kuei cyborgs, he and Takeda move to attack them, but when Hanzo cuts one in half, Takeda sees that the cyborgs are frozen solid. Hanzo is quick to realize the entire city is frozen. Hanzo knows Kuai Liang was never this powerful, even under Quan Chi's control, but Takeda reminds him that the Kamidogu is. Hanzo and Takeda follow the trail of ice and come upon Sub-Zero, Kamidogu dagger in hand, standing before a frozen temple, the voice of the demon corrupting the dagger whispering in Kuai's ear to avenge his brother's death and to kill the two Shirai Ryu for defying the Blood Code. Sub-Zero greets Hanzo before smashing the frozen temple to the ground with his bare hands. Hanzo tells Sub-Zero that while killing him won't bring back the people he's murdered but it will stop him from hurting more. The demon takes complete possession of Sub-Zero to speak through him, asking Hanzo who will stop him when the true Scorpion is unleashed. Hanzo slips into his Scorpion persona, much to the demon's delight, and Scorpion warns Takeda that whoever possessed Fox and Raiden is controlling Sub-Zero. On Shang Tsung's Island, in the Flesh Pits, the cleric of chaos Havik tears a corpse apart as he speaks through Sub-Zero, declaring that Sub-Zero and Scorpion will finally have their rematch and declares that the Kamidogu will soon be his, along with Hanzo Hasashi's soul. Chapter Fourteen: City of Ice and Hellfire Scorpion confronts the possessed Sub-Zero, demanding to know if he is speaking to Kuai Liang or the demon dwelling in the dagger. The possessed Sub-Zero explains that the dagger is a key, not a vessel, and that the real power is in the blood, before offering the Kamidogu more of his own blood to invoke the Blood Code. The possessed Sub-Zero mocks Takeda by reminding him of his execution of Fox, but Scorpion holds Takeda back, promising whoever is behind it will burn. Scorpion launches two chained kunai at Sub-Zero, impaling the cryomancer before igniting them with hellfire and dragging Kuai over. Sub-Zero recovers and uses his ice powers to freeze the chains and shatter them, summoning ice spikes along his body in the process. Sub-Zero throws an Ice Blast at Scorpion, but the wraith teleports to dodge the blast. Angered, the possessed Kuai demands Scorpion stop dodging and "Get over here!" Scorpion reappears behind Sub-Zero, but Kuai unleashes spikes of ice along his back to impale Scorpion and tosses him aside. Sub-Zero mocks Scorpion, claiming he is going through the motions and that he is a wraith pretending to be a man, proclaiming the man is a lie. Sub-Zero then slides into Scorpion and kicks him aside, all the while declaring that Hanzo Hasashi is a weak impostor of a long dead warrior and that when he is destroyed, the real Scorpion will rise again. Sub-Zero suddenly realizes his Kamidogu is missing and Takeda sprints away with the dagger, asking the possessed Sub-Zero how the fight will go without Blood Magik. Amused, Sub-Zero calls Takeda a runner and declares he has enough Magik left in his blood to freeze a moment in time. Calling on all his enhanced power, Sub-Zero unleashes a massive wave of ice, freezing the area in a glacier and trapping Scorpion and Takeda in ice. Kuai Liang is freed from his possession, and weakened by his wounds, confused by what he has done. When he sees Scorpion, the wraith bursts free from the ice, sword drawn. Sub-Zero summons two Kori Blades to parry Scorpion's attack as their battle continues. In Outworld, Kotal Kahn discusses their strategy to hold off the Shokan by securing the walls and guarding their food storage, hoping to starve the Shokan siege out. Sonya questions how many Shokan Kotal is expecting, and the emperor admits he doesn't know if their numbers have dwindled or increased. Kotal declares if the Shokan outnumber them, he will challenge their champion directly in Mortal Kombat to end it there. D'Vorah arrives and informs the emperor that the Shokan have arrived over the mountains. Kotal bids Sonya and Johnny to follow him, and the three step outside to watch the Shokan approach. Outside, Kotal Kahn is horrified to realize that while the Shokan are fewer in number, they have been joined by the Oni Warlords. Chapter Fifteen: Losing Ourselves In Z'unkahrah, Outworld, the Shokan roar for Kotal Kahn's death on the orders of King Gorbak. From a balcony on his palace, Kotal Kahn observes with Reptile by his side as D'Vorah approaches with Ferra and Torr, informing their emperor they are prepared to parlay with the Shokan. Kotal Kahn gives her a scroll with his terms and tells D'Vorah to be unwavering with the Shokan. As D'Vorah and Ferra and Torr depart, Reptile informs his emperor that their warriors are ready no matter the outcome. When Kotal Kahn asks of the Earthrealmers, Reptile tells him they are proving useful. Sonya and her Special Forces troop are securing barricades while contacting Johnny Cage, who is with snipers and archers. Johnny tries to interject some humor into the situation but Sonya breaks their communications, and Johnny pleads with her to be careful, unsure of how successful D'Vorah and Ferra and Torr will be at negotiations. D'Vorah meets with Kintaro, respectfully greeting the Shokan champion while Kintaro only rudely greets her. D'Vorah attempts to give Kintaro Kotal Kahn's reparations but Kintaro rejects them and demands Kotal Kahn's surrender or the Shokan will raze Z'unkahrah to the ground, telling D'Vorah they have one hour. D'Vorah tells Kintaro that Kotal Kahn will never surrender and Kintaro declares that Z'unkahrah will fall an hour early. Johnny Cage sees movement in the Shokan horde and is horrified to see an Oni Warlord charging for the city's perimeter wall. Sonya is shocked as the wall is struck and she loses contact with Johnny. Back in Earthrealm, Scorpion and Sub-Zero's fight rages on, with Kuai pleading that he was not responsible for the city's destruction. Scorpion only mocks Kuai for blaming the Kamidogu before destroying his Kori blades with his hellfire coated Murai Ryu. Sub-Zero manages to briefly gain the upper-hand, telling Scorpion that the dagger possessed him and he is more than willing to return to Raiden to explain what happened. Scorpion refuses to heed Sub-Zero's words, reminding Kuai of his brother and clan's massacre of the Shirai Ryu. Kuai tells Scorpion to move on, shouting that there are no more Lin Kuei, revealing the cyborgs killed those who would not be converted and he is all that remains. Scorpion says they are both the last of their clans before summoning two demonic minions from the ground to hold Kuai in place, declaring it's time to finish their feud. Taking up his swords, Scorpion impales Kuai through his chest, commending his soul to the Netherrealm. A badly wounded Kuai Liang pleads with Hanzo, telling him he is not a monster and trying to remind him of the horrible things they both did while working together under Quan Chi and pleads with Hanzo to remember the agony of being controlled by an evil spirit. Scorpion takes off his mask to reveal his hellfire covered skull as he tells Kuai all he remembers is the last time he held his son, the last time his wife called his name and the agony of losing his family before unleashing a breath of hellfire on a screaming Kuai. Before Scorpion can burn Kuai alive, Takeda is freed from his ice entrapment, calling to his grandmaster, telling him the reason he doesn't know what it's like to be controlled is because his evil actions were his own choice, that vengeance misguided him. Holding up the Kamidogu, Takeda tells his master that his choices now are to give into vengeance like the blood demon wants or to help Takeda save the world so they can rebuild their clan. Screaming in hatred, Hanzo dispels his hellfire, causing the demonic minions to fade before removing his swords from Kuai Liang. Hanzo tells Sub-Zero he will live, maybe not for long, but long enough to reflect on his misdeeds. Walking away to begin their trek back to the Sky Temple, Takeda tells his master that he won the rematch, but Hanzo asks him what good winning is when he is losing himself. Hanzo plans for next time, but Takeda believes that Sub-Zero is not coming back. Hanzo tells him stranger things have happened as they leave Kuai Liang in a pool of his own blood. Characters Featured In Order of Appearance: *Erron Black *Kotal Kahn *Reptile *D'Vorah *Ferra & Torr *Sonya Blade *Johnny Cage *Special Forces *Goro *King Gorbak (First Appearance) *Shokan (First Appearance) *Kintaro (First Appearance) *Scorpion *Takeda Takahashi *Lin Kuei *Sub-Zero *Havik *Oni Warlords (First Appearance) Mentioned *Cassie Cage *Jacqui Briggs *Reiko *Kotal K'etz *Quan Chi *Bi-Han *Raiden *Forrest Fox Category:Mortal Kombat X Category:Comics Category:Mortal Kombat X Comic Series